A case of Morphinum

Admitted
to hospital Oct. 09, 2009 with severe abdominal cramps; a 3 foot length of his
small intestine had died off due to a congested vein, and was removed.

Colostomy
until April 2010; total parenteral nutrition.

Removal
of gallstones, June 2010 (side effect of TPN); gall bladder is fine.

Between
January and March, 2010, 2 bouts of septicemia and hematoma on upper thighs,
which required hospitalization.

Current
medications are Warfarin, Pepsin and Acidopholus to aid digestion.

Since
release from hospital after partial intestine removal, the patient has used a
Fentanyl patch.

(Fentanyl
is approximately 100 times more potent than Morphine; 100 micrograms of
fentanyl are approximately equivalent to 10mg of morphine and 75mg of Pethidine
(meperidine) in analgesic activity.) His current dosage is 12 mcg/h, the lowest
dose available.

“One
patch is supposed to last 72 hours, but after 48 hours I have severe withdrawal
symptoms and need another patch. Even though I use it after 48 hours it means a
sleepless night in agony.”

Patient
describes himself as being an introverted, hard-working person. He has been
healthy all of his life, and is happily married and has 2 sons.

“I
never tried drugs in my life! No reason for the blood clot could be found. I
felt healthy until shortly before, then I had some abdominal complaints, ‘flu-like.
I haven’t had any pain since June 2010 and I only use the patch because I am
addicted to it; I have tried to get off the patch. I was given large amounts of
Oxycondone for when the withdrawal symptoms come, but they don’t really work. They
continue to prescribe the Fentanyl patch because of my addiction; once I lost a
patch at lunch time and at night I couldn’t handle it anymore; I went to
hospital and they gave me a Morphine injection.”

I
take everything very personally and I become obsessed with things that normally
don’t bother me. I say things that I regret minutes later, I’m very impulsive,
up and down all the time.

I
cannot let go of the simplest things, and I worry about everything for hours,
even if it is the most common task. I feel like I am in a constant defensive attack.
It is impossible to sleep; if I do sleep it is very restless, with terrible
dreams. Everything is dirty and disgusting, dog shit is everywhere and I step
into it. I am not actually active in the dream: it is the surroundings that are
very disgusting; I had these dreams when I was on high doses of morphine in the
hospital.

I
have memory gaps; sometimes for days I don’t remember what I did. The day I
lost the patch I had hallucinations of a road worker with a shovel; he was in
front of the car.

My
eyes are very sore when I’m on withdrawal; it’s strange sensation, almost like
a headache. Temperature fluctuations: I feel hot and cold with shivering and
perspiration when hot.

I
can manage a day at work, then I am done - I cannot do anything else.

My
bowels work normally. I am sensitive to onions, garlic and cabbage now, which I
never was before.

I
snore extremely since using the patch.”

Analysis

Neither
Fentanil nor Oxycondone are available as homeopathic remedies. The closest
homeopathic remedy available is Morphinum.
The patient feels like a drug addict; the effect of the drugs and the addiction
are what need to be treated in this case. I looked at this as an acute
situation rather than trying to find a constitutional remedy.

Feb.
24, 2011: Still problems with sleeping when the patch is changing, though not
as extreme as before. I manage to stay in bed, and the restlessness doesn’t
drive me up the walls anymore.

Moods
are the same, but I do feel better inside; I don’t have such obsessive thoughts
anymore. I feel very positive; there has been a definite change in two weeks.

No
more temperature fluctuations.

Eyes
are fine.

LM
5 10/12 drops 15 succ.

March
15, 2011: Less withdrawal symptoms, sleeping much more now. Restless legs are
much better.

I
had my last patch 5 days ago, Oxycontin 20 mg., every
12 hours instead.

Patient
decided to cut the pills in half and take them only every 24 hours. After 3
days the withdrawal symptoms (restless legs only) started to come back; he took
12 drops of the remedy and had no problems after that, then took nothing again
for 24 hours.

“I
am very happy and excited about this progress; it has been absolutely amazing
for me. I am in the best shape I’ve been in since a long time.”

LM
5 10/12 drops 20 succ.

March
24, 2011: GP prescribed Oxycontin 10 mg, which the patient cuts in half and them
twice daily.

Still
progressing well, sleeping well. “I am really happy to have a life again; after
work I enjoy my relaxing time. I’m feeling
better overall, less tired. Moods are better, nicer again, and my family says
there is huge improvement. I still have a few obsessive thoughts, but much
less, and no more weird dreams.”

LM
8, 5 drops, 10 succ.

April
12, 2011: Oxyc. 5 mg now, cut in half, twice a day.

Morphinum
LM 8, 8 drops, 15 succ.

April
28, 2011: A couple of days of withdrawal symptoms after switching to 5 mg, but
now back to feeling good.

May
12, 2011: Oxyc. 2.5 mg, 2 x a day

Morphinum
LM 9, 5 drops 10 succ.

June
15, 2011: Some withdrawals symptoms after cutting Oxyc. in half

Morphinum
LM 9, 8 drops, 10 succ.

Feeling
good overall, energy levels about 70 % from before surgery.

July
8, 2011: Hospitalized with kidney colic from kidney stones.

Unfortunately the patient did
not get in touch with me.

“They
gave me pain killers which didn’t work so they put me on morphine for 3 days! I
was home after 4 days but still had severe pains and needed more morphine.”

Patient
is discouraged due to the return of withdrawal symptoms and went back to
Oxycontin 5 mg twice daily.

Morphinum
LM 9, 8 drops 10 succ. twice daily.

11
Aug. 2011: “I haven’t been able to reduce Oxycontin; I’m still sleeping well
but the bad moods and some restlessness have come back.

Morphinum
LM 9, 10 drops, 15 succ.

Oct.11,
2011: 2 bouts of kidney stones and gall
stones, as well as bladder infection and prostate infection. Anti-biotic
treatment and morphine in the hospital, 5 mg daily.

Morphinum
LM 10, 5 drops 10 succ. 2 - 3 times daily

Oct.
17, 2011: Kidney/ bladder colic return; this time patient does not go to the
hospital and instead contacts me.

Feb.
14, 2012: As of Jan.19, 2012, patient stopped taking the Oxycontin, and
continued the Morphinum LM 11 for another 7 days and then stopped that too. “I’ve
had a couple of nights where I felt funny but then I was fine. Occasionally I
have a few seconds where I feel like I am on withdrawal but it passes quickly.”
No more kidney or bladder problems.

Feeling
very good emotionally, as well as physically; still gets tired sometimes. Food
sensitivities are much better too.

During
a visit to his family doctor the patient reports having discontinued his Warfarin
treatment, feeling that it has contributed to his kidney stones. The GP denied
the possibility of such a connection, so the patient did a trial for himself:
on repeating the Warfarin for a few days the kidney symptoms returned, and he
decided to stop the Warfarin.

Prescription: Berberis 200 CH

At
this point it appears that Berberis is a good remedy for my patient and we will
continue with a monthly dose of 1M.

Berberis

Kidney
and bladder symptoms

Responsible
family-oriented individuals

Hardworking,
responsible (Iron series)

Feeling
of danger and of problems coming at them from all sides - which can make them
feel restless and on the edge

Del.
Night, terrifying

Del.
Dirty, he is

Restlessness,
nervousness general

Katharina Riedener practices in Osoyoos, B.C. (Canada) and can be found at www.homeokat.com